With the holidays approaching, everyone starts thinking about food, food, food. Why not have an arsenal of kitchen tools that inspires healthy meals? In order to cook with nutrition as the focus, there are some tools that really help inspire healthy, happy eating. The following list is my top ten!
1. Green Star Juicer: This is my favorite thing in my kitchen. If you buy a good quality juicer that can juice greens, and you commit to juicing greens every day, it will change your life forever. Green juices are one of the best things we can consume for better health!
2. Salad Spinner: Eating a huge salad every day is a great way to get many vitamins and minerals. I always recommend washing your greens in cold water to remove excess dirt and possible pesticides. I simply fill my salad spinner with really cold water, put the greens in, stir them around, strain out the water, and then proceed to spin.
3. Santoku Knife: I find myself always chopping and this knife is my favorite. It's something about the way it feels in my hand. It is Japanese made, and the edge is hollowed for better slicing! I have even had guests over who have commented on how smooth this knife feels when cutting! Seriously!
4. Steamer: Broccoli is a staple in our house and lightly cooked is the next best thing to raw so always lightly cook your veggies. A steamer is the best thing for this. I use our steamer almost every night. Cook your broccoli crowns stalk side down for seven minutes and they'll be perfect!
5. Bamboo Chopping Block: I chop everything on a bamboo chopping block. Bamboo is hard wood and is very sustainable. I have had this chopping block for almost 10 years.
6. Peeler: Having a good peeler is very helpful. I have been through 20 different peelers and Rosle makes the best ones. This is the Mercedes of vegetable and fruit peelers.
7. Vitamix : Another must-have appliance for the kitchen. Making smoothies has transformed our breakfast time. Having smooothies (infused secretly with kale) -- what is better? My Vitamix also makes my salad dressings and soups! This version contains no bpa in the pitcher!
8. Hand-Held Strainer: When I make quinoa or beans that have to be rinsed, this is the best thing. I also use it to strain my green drinks. The key to finding a good strainer is to find one that is very fine and deep.
9. Food Processor : My food processor does everything for me. It assists in making all the healthy stuff. It makes hummus, salsa, chopped salad and chopped veggies with the touch of a button. It is great for making large quantities that are much needed during the holidays. I often wonder what I did before I had it.
10. Tabletop Composter: When you eat lots of fruits and veggies, having a tabletop composter contributes to their consumption because composting is so fun!
You can keep up with Sandy by signing up for her daily living tips, following her on Twitter, or becoming a fan on Facebook.